Female cop, 2 ex-cops fall in raid

CEBU, Philippines - A female police officer in active duty, two former policemen, and a suspected drug pusher fell into the hands of authorities following the raid of their respective homes yesterday morning in Barangay Poblacion, Sibonga town, southern Cebu.

Armed with search warrants, Provincial Intelligence Branch operatives swooped down on Senior Police Officer 1 Ethel Suico, 48, admin finance officer at Dalaguete Police Station; her husband, retired Senior Police Officer 1 Marflo Suico, 58; former Police Officer 2 Niel Cayubit, 46; and alleged drug peddler and illegal game operator Heracleo Suico, 54.

A certain Bennette Teves remains at large.

The simultaneous operations against the suspects were hatched by virtue of search warrants issued by Danao City RTC Judge Jerry Dicdican in coordination with six teams including the PIB, Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC), Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU), Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG), Sibonga police, and Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU).

In the house of spouses Ethel and Marflo, police recovered several firearms and explosives, including a KG9, two Ingrams, one 9mm caliber, one caliber .45, more than a hundred live ammunitions, silencers and a hand grenade.

Cayubit yielded seven grams of suspected shabu, a .45 caliber pistol, live ammunitions, and drug paraphernalia. He was reportedly dismissed from the service after going absent without official leave.

Heracleo, who is Marflo’s brother, yielded a .38 caliber pistol, 15 grams of suspected shabu, cash, and paraphernalia for illegal numbers game locally known as "swertres."

In addition, police also confiscated suspected shabu and a caliber .38 pistol in the house of Teves.

Tipped off

Superintendent Mario Baquiran Jr., PPSC chief, said the operations stemmed from the information the police got from Frederick Go, a suspected big-time drug pusher arrested by the PIB earlier.

Baquiran said the four arrested personalities were remnants of illegal drug operations of Steve Go, who is currently detained at the Talisay City Jail.

Go is said to be Ethel’s nephew and half-brother of Teves.

“May natanggap tayong information na nasa kay Ethel nga nakatago ang mga armas ni Steve Go,” said Baquiran, adding that police also found out that Steve supplied illegal drugs to the suspects and may have even killed a drug personality in Tuburan named Joseph Reville alias “Tuskig.”

And the revelations did not stop there.

“May nakuha din kaming information na may kasamahan din kaming mga police na involved dito. I could not divulge the names because they are still subject for surveillance. Marami pa ring police na involved, aside sa province,” said Baquiran.

Baquiran said that Steve’s illegal drug trade persists, despite him being already inside the jail.

Gun-for-hire?

He also said there is a big possibility that Steve was behind some of the gun-for-hire operations in Cebu.

“Iyon nga iyong i-establish natin kung bakit maraming nakuha na baril at may mga silencer pa. Sa mga previous operations kay Frederick Go at ngayon ay ganoon pa rin. Ang mga firearms nakukuha natin ay subject for ballistic examination para malaman natin kung nagamit ito sa crime,” he said.

Asked for her comment, Ethel denied allegations she kept the unlicensed firearms of her nephew.

“Dili gyud na tinuod. Kanang mga pusil nga nakuha kay gipanag-iya na sa akong amahan ug namatay nga igsuon,” she said.

She said she comes from a family of policemen. Her late father and brother were also members of the PNP.

Cayubit, Heracleo, and Teves will be charged for violating Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and Republic Act 10591 for illegal possession of firearms.

For their part, Ethel and Marflo will face complaints for illegal possession of firearms and explosives. (FREEMAN)